They're trying to spread the cup around. 2002-Japan(Asia) 2006-Germany(Europe) 2010-s. Africa(Africa) 2014-(S. America).... 2022(Middle East). Don't be surprised that the next world cup goes to an Oceania country

Absolutely right. Russia or Qatar, I am sure either one will try their best to host a memorable world cup. I agree 100% that Qatar's presentation was very impressive and they have the potential to bring it live. I see that some of the comments are based on non-soccer related aspects of these locations and to be honest that is quite childish and uneducated. It is clear what Fifa is trying to do! Obviously everyone would like to see World Cup hosted in their own country or as close as possible but if you start making comments on races and religions it becomes funny. I suggest we all do some unbiased research. Some are only making up reasons to believe that these countries don't deserve the world cup hosting. First of all, if WC hosting was chosen depending on the wealthiest country, then we would only have a couple choices every time and it would be dull (though I must admit it would probly make some on this page happy). And secondly since Qatar qualifies with its economy; lack of existing stadiums become an issue for some again. But here is the key question, if a part of Fifa's mandate is to increase the popularity and accesability, improve and develop the infrastructure of this sport globally.... Then does it make sense to tap into a country that currently has no staidums so that they have the initiative to build state of the art facilities for this very the same sport....

Bullshit. 2014 brazil is okay. 2018 russia? WTF?! They first need to qualify for world cup. Just because they can't come in "fairly" they bribed fifa to host the wc in their country LOL> and Qatar.... They bribed FIFA so hard. But their idea seems decent. A/C stadiums lol. That's something we gotta' see

"I must have been just one of millions of Englishmen and women who knew weeks possibly months ago, that Russia would secure the right to stage the 2018 World Cup. The decision made by FIFA had nothing to do with football but was purely political. England had, by far, the best bid and presentation but those sad old men decided to ignore that and instead, their hatred of England and everything to do with this great country of ours poisoned their tiny minds. I have no doubt that Russia will put on a fantastic tournament but I feel cheated. I was nearly 14 when England hosted and won the World Cup in 1966 but I will have long gone by the time we are considered again. The names of Blatter, Platini and Warner to name a few will go down in the annals of everything that is wrong with our once beautiful game. " - Denis Munday (a Chelsea fan), on skyports.com.

Couldn't have said it any better myself

[account-removed]6 years ago

Fifa needs to change the way they operate. These secret votes and archaic undemocratic procedures are shameful. As for the selections, Brazil is fine but the fact that the World footy community is being held hostage by the greedy corrupt sacks of **** who sold two World Cups to countries that were considered by the vast majority to have presented inferior bids is the same ole Fifa story. What is more, Russia being considered part of Europe (despite the vast majority of her territory being in Asia) means England will not be able to bid again until 2030. The people need to take the World Cup back, Fifa back, football back. Sorry England, you deserved 2018, hopefully somehow America will get 2022 but I doubt it. I am sad and dejected. UGH!

The British and most people like me as well are certainly upset that England could not host a global-scale competition by the country of which soccer is pioneered. And possibly choosing Russia as host for 2018 WC is questionable, but as for Qatar, I think that decision is good to a certain extend. Firstly, Middle East has never host a WC before. Secondly, in terms of financial terms (to build stadiums, hospitality for players etc), Qatar is currently more superior than the States. Now, I am not saying that the States' economy will not improve in the next 12 years or so, but for now, Qatar are still the richer ones. Thirdly, who says Qatar's future stadiums do not have the infrastructure as compared to the States. In case you did not watch their presentation, they are preparing to construct (the first ever) indoor cooling stadiums. Lastly, capacities. You may be right that the stadiums the States are planning to build should they be able to host the 2018 WC have more seats than those of Qatar (to be honest, I am not sure on that aspect because the presentations are just too long, the whole thing is like five and half hours) but FIFA does not choose the hosts of WC just solely on that reason. However, despite all but my retorts, I do agree with Epikorea that bribery is present. Btw, from what I can imply from what you are saying, you are(in some ways) despising the Muslim countries just because of the minorities considered as terrorists. Muslim countries does not mean that they are bad options to hold WCs. Probably you may not understand what I am trying to imply, because to be honest, I am not sure how to express my thoughts clearly. What I can say is this, you will just have to wait till 2022 to see if FIFA made the right decision

If South Africa and Brazil can host it, then Russia definitely can. I am kind of glad they are trying to host it in new countries makes it much more interesting. Quatar is quite questionable, but I will hope for the best. Although I won't deny FIFA is undoubtedly corrupt

I guess I'll probably be the only on who has this view but I personally agree with Fifa's choices and here are my reasons.... I think football is a world sport now, yes, the English had a better bid but I personally am thrilled to have an opportunity to be able to witness a new piece of history take shape and form. Giving countries like Russia and Qatar an opportunity embodies what Fifa's true values are, taking football to its fans from all over the world and embracing them, and the world at large as one. When was the last time an English fan watched a soccer match broadcast from Moscow apart from Champions league matches? I love the fact that Fifa has finally broken the trend of having the big European hosting every other world cup since the 1950's when so many nations have contributed to making football what it is today. I am proud of fifa

Thank you! Some one with some sense of not looking at it from a bias point of view. I start to think when countries began to think they are entitled to it because they are world and football powers!

Yes Fifa has their bad ways but football is a world sport and its not convenient for everyone why should it be convenient for just Americans and English?

[account-removed]6 years ago

Both of you may be well intentioned but you strike me as somewhat naive, think if the last World Cup had been held in South Africa under the previous apartheid government? Would that be alright just to reach football fans? To reward a racist and backward government with an international prestigious competition? Well newsflash guys the Russian government in its current state is not much better, it is a corrupt mafia state in virtually every way where democracy and free speech have no place in society where reporters are assassinated and.... And Buckweed what do you mean "Fifa has finally broken the trend of having the big European hosting every other world cup" Russia is holding each venue in the supposedly "European" part of the country. "Giving countries like Russia and Qatar an opportunity embodies what Fifa's true values are" I completely agree with that statement, fifa's true value is utter corruption. You do not reward state's that have questionable human rights records, now maybe that means you don't give it to the USA but I consider it to be ridiculous for both of you to not compare the bids and ask yourself certain questions about the fact that England was bounced in the first round especially since they arguably had the best bid. Fifa is corrupt on that basis alone World Cup '18 '22 is spitting in the face of every football fan and if the current process continues then '26 and '30, no matter where they are held will be another affront to football fans

Okay I will not mention much about racist and backward government because the fact of the matter is there are a lot of them out there. I don't agree with thing Fifa has done and still don't. I personally would have wanted it to go to Australia and Belgium/Netherlands yes:

"Just because I did want to have it in a country where it was never hosted before"

England I ma happy didn't even get pass the first round. smile on my face for that. The United States had it in 1994 another good thing they didn't get it.

Ideally if it was a perfect world Belgium & Netherlands would have gotten it for 2018 and Australia would have gotten it for 2020.... But guess what? Its not and I'm not going to sit and complain about it especially when I don't think its the worst thing thing in the world. Also one is spitting in my face because there are a lot of crap that goes on in this world that could have people in a uproar but instead the hosting of the world cup does.... Serious stuff....

The reaction you(general) and many Englishmen is having to this world cup bid decision is going to pros-pone the world cup from coming to England for another 8 years. People in FIFA is already saying that the reaction to the votes are immature

They are.... When people act like they are entitled to something it doesn't come off very well. Especially when the world is full of many different people in many different people with many different conditions

[account-removed]6 years ago

Too funny, England can't have a World Cup anyway because Russia is considered apart of Europe (member of UEFA), there is a rotation system between confederations. The reaction is justified. Fifa is just mad someone is calling them out for their corruption instead of playing along like Russia

Lion so true the same Russia that accused FIFA two day defore the decision of being corrupt and biased. Funny how now they are claiming there is no bias I think what they meant was the bribery process was fair and transparent

I believe it's a good thing that nations which wouldn't normally be considered previously are being selected, while the reasons can be questioned.

The World Cup has to be just that, a World event, and despite nations from Oceania and the Middle East perhaps not being quite the same level, to promote the World Cup in their continent will no doubt bring an incentive for nations in that continent to improve their facilities in sport and football.

Regardless of the reasons FIFA gave the World Cup's to Russia and Qatar (I do agree that their ballots should not be secret.) I see this as a good thing for global football

Probably probably.... But players have wear space suits and the game will be quite frustrating cos most of the time the ball will be floating in the non-atmosphere of the moon. Goals will be harder to score since kicking will be much harder and penalties will probably last for hours

Probably probably.... But players have wear space suits and the game will be quite frustrating cos most of the time the ball will be floating in the non-atmosphere of the moon. Goals will be harder to score since kicking will be much harder and penalties will probably last for hours

I agree with most people above, all I have to say is that there is absolutely nothing wrong with giving Russia a chance to host the World Cup. Ok maybe they have racist people, but that is the only problem I see in the decision.... Remember how Fifa was criticized for giving the World Cup to South Africa, because of the high criminal rates in the country, but they proved the world wrong and did fantastic job in hosting (except from using the vuvuzelas)

I hope the same happens with Russia, hopefully they put away their racist behavior for just the 2 months that they will host the World cup and do whatever s**t they please after it is over.... On the Contrary, there is a lot wrong with giving the World Cup to Qatar, I will not even waste time listing those problems, because I am sure that most people have already mentioned it. All in all, I think people should just let this go (especially England fans lol) the decision has been made, now we just have to all hope, we get a good World cup in 2018 and 2022

And I think it is wrong for Fifa to give Brazil a chance to host the World Cup, they will easily win lol

And I also agree with you Golaire, but you rarely hear Racism in "Football" nowadays, except in Italy, Spain (both to Samuel Eto'o) and then Russia. That is the reason Odemwingie left Russia, he wasn't playing well for a period of time, and they start booing him (which is acceptable) and start calling him "names" and making stupid monkey sounds at him.

Then to make it worse, after he left. They had a poster saying, Thank you West brom.... With a picture of a banana.... How can you possibly explain that? Lol

I think that many people in Russia (and Eastern Europe in general) are so not used to seeing people of black skin that they show a different kind of racism than you see in the West. Some of the people there, especially the dumber, uneducated ones have the same conception of black people as the Westerners had back in the days of colonialism (in other words, very primitive). Also, generally in these societies, people sometimes treat the issue of racism in a very non-chalant manner, so even if they are not truly racist, they won't pay attention to the political correctness and stuff.

Also, Russia is a fairly poor country, where people generally look at immigrants with contempt and have the "go-back-to-wherever-you-came-from" rhetoric.

That's my impression. But the bottom-line is, I think that when the WC in Russia actually starts, we won't be seeing a lot of racism, just like we didn't a lot of crime involving players and fans in South Africa. I think in a way, it is a positive step for Russia to have many members of other races coming there for the WC, since it might help "normalize" things

[account-removed]6 years ago

I am not so happy with all the selections. 2014, Brazil have already won the WC 5 times and they have already had the WC there before. 2018, This one is ok but I would rather have a place with more decent weather, such as NL/Belgium. 2022, The biggest surprise in my opinion. The country is too small, the weather is very warm trust me. They will be sweating very much, the fans of course. The players will faint, lol. I would be more happy if Qatar would co-host it together with. You. A. E. For example. However, the weather is still very hot

I knew it that USA will not be hosting the cup anytime soon, also with japan. They held it jsut not too long ago. The world cup will go around to England next and then maybe others before it gets back to USA and Japan